Game of Thrones's Aidan Gillen to Play Villain in Maze Runner Sequel

Game of Thrones actor Aidan Gillen will be a major antagonist in The Scorch Trials, the upcoming sequel to The Maze Runner.

The Maze Runner, an adaptation of the first novel in James Dashner's Lord of the Flies-esque post-apocalyptic trilogy, has become a veritable financial success, garnering $38,534,629 in North America and $102,218,901 worldwide, and a moderate critical success, with many critics praising the acting, visuals, and claustrophobic premise. As a result, The Scorch Trials, based on Dashner's sequel of the same name, has already been scheduled for a 2015 release and began pre-production in New Mexico earlier this month. Maze Runner director Wes Ball is set to return, as well as stars Dylan O'Brien, Ki-hong Lee, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Kaya Scodelario and Patricia Clarkson.

Gillen will play Janson, or Rat-Man, who becomes one of the trilogy's main antagonists. He is a scientific researcher and a member of the very literally named WICKED, the organization that created the titular maze. Gillen is known for playing Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in HBO's Game of Thrones, as well as Tommy Carcetti in The Wire and a CIA agent in the opening scenes of The Dark Knight Rises.